Real Existing Regionalism: The Region Between Talk, Territory and Technology

In this essay, we propose the notion of real existing ‘lived’ regionalism as a rejoinder to the normative and ideological debates around new regionalism. Regional forms have shown little convergence in this age of globalized regionalization. Instead of an ideational construct or set of predictable practices, we argue that regionalism is a contested product of discourses (talk), territorial relationships (territory) and technologies (material and of power). The concept of real existing regionalism confronts the tensions between the discursive constructions and normative interventions characterizing much current regionalist debate and the territorial politics and technologies reflecting, generating and directing new state spatial strategic choices. The essay demonstrates the utility of the real existing regionalism framework through an analysis of the greenbelt, transport planning and postsuburbanization in Southern Ontario. We argue that regulatory institutions capture the Toronto region in a mix of rhetorical and technological change that complies with neither preconceived notions of regionalization nor the pessimism of total regional dysfunctionality. Rather, the lived experience of regionalization illuminates the emergent assemblages, multiplicity of everyday flows and ongoing multiscalar negotiations of diverse communities that produce the real existing region

‘It’s Not Going to be Suburban, It’s Going to be All Urban’: Assembling Post-suburbia in the Toronto and Chicago Regions

Urban and suburban politics are increasingly intertwined in regions that aspire to be global. Powerful actors in the Chicago and Toronto regions have mobilized regional space to brand rescaled images of the urban experience, but questions remain as to who constructs and who can access the benefits of these revised spatial identities. Local political interests have tended to be obfuscated in the regional milieu, most problematically in the spaces between the gentrified inner cities, privileged growth nodes, and the glamorized suburban subdivisions and exurban spaces beyond the city limits. This article analyses how socio-spatial changes in post-suburbanizing urban fringes contribute to the way regions are being reconfigured and reimagined. Guided by current debates at the intersection of assemblage theory and critical urban political economy, our analysis demonstrates how socio-technical infrastructures, policy mobilities and political economic relations are spatially aligned, sustained and dissolved in splintering North American agglomerations. Particular attention is paid to issues of urban transportation and connectivity in uncovering multifaceted modes of suburbanism that now underlie the monistic imagery of the globalized region. Emergent regionalized topologies and territoriality blur conventional understandings of city–suburban dichotomies in extended urban areas that are now characterized by polycentric post-suburban constellations. In terms of their substance and functionality, ‘real existing’ regions are currently re-territorialized as complex assemblages that are embedded in a neoliberalizing political economy whose politics and identities are only beginning to be revealed

Boys' and girls' clubs

"Club work is based on sound principles and has come to stay. It is supported by federal and state aid as a definite form of agricultural extension work. Boys and girls on the farm are aided in their work and every possible advantage is extended to flt them, for better living and "to improve country life." It is proper in this connection to mention that club work has received special recognition from the State Superintendent of Public Instruction. On Pages 124-126 of the last Annual School Report will be found a general statement of this movement. On Pages 122 and 124 of the last State Course of Study will b.e found the . details of some of the projects. In the first county campaign which had as an aim to acquaint patrons, pupils and teachers with the nature and purpose of Boys' and Girls' Clubs, the state superintendent took personal part and gave sanction to the work. So far as known no other state has given stronger recognition to club work than Missouri."--Page 3

Regionalizing the Infrastructure Turn: A Research Agenda

An interdisciplinary ‘infrastructure turn’ has emerged over the past 20 years that disputes the concept of urban infrastructure as a staid or neutral set of physical artefacts. Responding to the increased conceptual, geographical and political importance of infrastructure – and endemic issues of access, expertise and governance that the varied provision of infrastructures can cause – this intervention asserts the significance of applying a regional perspective to the infrastructure turn. This paper forwards a critical research agenda for the study of ‘infrastructural regionalisms’ to interrogate: (1) how we study and produce knowledge about infrastructure; (2) how infrastructure is governed across or constrained by jurisdictional boundaries; (3) who drives the construction of regional infrastructural imaginaries; and (4) how individuals and communities differentially experience regional space through infrastructure. Analysing regions through infrastructure provides a novel perspective on the regional question and consequently offers a framework to understand better the implications of the current infrastructure moment for regional spaces worldwide

The Three-Legged Stool of Voter Engagement

Disparities in voter turnout have increased significantly over the past four decades. Members of historically oppressed groups, those who are low-income, and or who have lower levels of education vote at significantly lower rates than white, wealthy and or more educated community members. These disparities correlate directly to political power and the eventual allocation of resources by elected officials. Therefore, eliminating these disparities through targeted voter engagement with client groups is particularly important for the profession of social work. This article describes the conceptualization of voter engagement as a three-legged stool, consisting of voter registration, regular voting, and basing voting decisions on self-interest. Without attention to all three legs, the potential for generating political power collapses, resulting in minimal influence on elected officials

Politics, Memes, and Culture Jamming: Meme Culture’s Potential to Engage Youth in Politics

In today’s world, memes have become a second language. They are used to explain emotions, make fun of our friends, convey inside jokes, comment on the world around us, and so much more. They are a quick way to show a friend how you are feeling or to start a conversation. Nowadays, there is a meme for almost every situation, and the topics range from what your dog is thinking, to politics, and truly everything in between. While memes are often funny and used as a form of entertainment, some memes take on a more serious role in society. Memes have become a way for people to present new ideas and challenge societal ideologies. This is a new and emerging form of activism that deserves our attention. Using DeLaure and Fink’s (2017) idea of culture jamming and its modes of operation, I will argue that political memes are a method of culture jamming and could create new ways to engage youth in politics and social issues. I will do this first by defining culture jamming and its modes of operation; then I will explain the idea of political memes and how they function. Finally, I will draw conclusions about the implications of using memes and culture jamming as a political tool from this analysis

Perceptions of care & patient-provider communication by varying identity groups in a collegiate health clinic

LGBTQ patients experience discrimination and poor access to quality health care, but there is little inquiry on the experiences of LGBTQ patients in student health clinic. The purpose of this study was to examine the quality of patient-provider communication (PPC) among sexual and gender minority patients, especially those who have intersecting minority identities, in a student healthcare setting. An online survey measured PPC using the Communication Assessment Tool (CAT) and contextual questions regarding identity and perceptions of judgment. Analysis tested intersectional variance in both. A convenience and snowball sample of 102 respondents, 18+, that utilized health services at a public university in the southeastern United States were surveyed in the summer of 2019. Patients of Color (M = 8.16, SD = 5.69) perceived stronger PPC than Whites (M = 5.41, SD = 5.27), which deviates from much of the current literature available. Heterosexuals (M = 7.82, SD = 5.65) perceived stronger PPC than LGBQ (M = 4.56, SD = 4.98) patients, which aligns with most current literature. Additional research is recommended for generalizability among student health populations in other university campuses and preliminary findings indicate a need to improve PPC between clinicians and sexual minority patients in student health settings. Experience Framework This article is associated with the Policy & Measurement lens of The Beryl Institute Experience Framework. (http://bit.ly/ExperienceFramework) Access other PXJ articles related to this lens. Access other resources related to this lens

New web-based applications for mechanistic case diagramming

The goal of mechanistic case diagraming (MCD) is to provide students with more in-depth understanding of cause and effect relationships and basic mechanistic pathways in medicine. This will enable them to better explain how observed clinical findings develop from preceding pathogenic and pathophysiological events. The pedagogic function of MCD is in relating risk factors, disease entities and morphology, signs and symptoms, and test and procedure findings in a specific case scenario with etiologic pathogenic and pathophysiological sequences within a flow diagram. In this paper, we describe the addition of automation and predetermined lists to further develop the original concept of MCD as described by Engelberg in 1992 and Guerrero in 2001. We demonstrate that with these modifications, MCD is effective and efficient in small group case-based teaching for second-year medical students (ratings of ~3.4 on a 4.0 scale). There was also a significant correlation with other measures of competency, with a ‘true’ score correlation of 0.54. A traditional calculation of reliability showed promising results (α =0.47) within a low stakes, ungraded environment. Further, we have demonstrated MCD's potential for use in independent learning and TBL. Future studies are needed to evaluate MCD's potential for use in medium stakes assessment or self-paced independent learning and assessment. MCD may be especially relevant in returning students to the application of basic medical science mechanisms in the clinical years